"Thomas, what are you doing out here with that filth!", the scream of the old woman startled both Danielle and Thomas.
She approached them both, with anger etched into her wrinkled face.
"I do not tolerate sleeping with animals!", she said, while somehow walking faster, "Especially ones that cause trouble and sleep outside!"
As soon as she reached them, she grabbed Thomas by his wrist and started to walk the opposite direction. The boy protested by letting out an upset grunt and keeping himself on the floor intentionally.
Surprised, Aunt Sarah put on a more commanding tone, "Now see here young man, you're parents asked me to keep you out of harms way and that is what I am going to do."
She tugged harder now, beginning to drag him along the ground and getting him more and more upset.
While this was unfolding, an unknown anger began to boil up in Danielle. She couldn't stand by while her friend was being bullied like this!
She charged forward with that anger and bit Aunt Sarah right on the hand.
The old woman pulled away, horrified at what just happened.
"You wild beast!", she shouted at Danielle, who was now back at the side of Thomas and still growling at the old woman.
Her screams were enough to awaken Jim Dear who came outside, sleepily, once he saw the scene before him, annoyance and anger formed on his face.
"What's going on Sarah?", he asked, while looking at Danielle.
"That beast of yours is out of control, first it disobeys orders, then it disrespects me and now it bites me!", she pointed at the bite mark on her hand.
He let out a great big sigh, thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, take Thomas inside, I'll handle Danielle."
He watched both of them head indoors, before turning around to face Danielle. He bent down, removed the chain from her collar and picked her up.
Then, in nothing more than a gown and a pair of slippers, he walked to his car and drove off somewhere in the town.
She had never been in this part of the town, so of course she had no idea where she was being taken.
They passed other houses, shops and a park. The car eventually stopped in front of a small store.
As he picked her up and walked towards it, she could hear the faint sounds of birds and...other 'things'.
When they got inside, she saw the birds, but she also saw other strange four-legged creatures.
"Good Morning sir.", greeted a tall, fair coloured man, "Welcome to Bailey's Pet St... ." He stopped when he noticed what Jim had on.
"Yes, good morning, I don't suppose you have any muzzles do you?", he asked unfazed.
"Uhm...wh-why, yes of course", he stuttered out while giving Jim a strange look, "I'll go get one."
He eventually returned with a strange, leash-like object in his hands.
She was sitting on the counter, fascinated by her surroundings. She didn't notice the object being put over her muzzle. When she did, she protested and tried to get away, but it was already being secured.
The poor boy sat on the guest bed, sulking. He felt miserable.
As soon as the old woman had started to scream, his happy place left him. It was replaced by all of his fears. Then he was dragged back into this desolate place without the two things that brought him comfort.
Sometimes he felt disconnected from the world, as if he wasn't there at all. As if he was lifelessly sitting there. He shook the feeling off, balled up a fist and started punching himself. He started gently, but steadily got harder.
He kept going until he felt hurt enough. Then he curled up into a ball on the bed, whimpered and shut his eyes.
Jim Dear had taken the muzzle off, just so that she could eat and drink. She ate and drank as much as she possibly could, before he decided to put it back on. He had simply told her that biting was not acceptable and left her chained up.
She lied down on the grass glaring after him. The respect that she once had for the man, was all gone now. "How could he do this to me?", she thought to herself. "Couldn't he see how happy me and my friend were, before Aunt Sarah came along? Scamp was right about her!"
No sooner than she finished thinking this did she see a familiar face approaching her.
"Oh sister, what's going on with you?", Collette asked, while looking at her sadly.
"It's not my fault that Aunt Sarah has it out for me", she could just barely get the words out with the muzzle on, "I just want to hang around my new friend."
Collette looked puzzled, "New friend? Do you mean that weird boy?"
"He's not weird!", she retorted.
"Why are you so obsessed with him?", she asked thoughtfully.
There was an awkward silence in the conversation as Danielle tried to put her words together.
Collette helpfully suggested an answer, "You don't know."
Danielle suddenly felt the same anger from earlier that day and lashed it out at her sister, "What would you know!?"
She spun around to look away and heard her sister quietly crying and walking away. Part of her felt satisfied at having expelled all the anger in her system. But another part felt guilty over what she had just done. This part felt like a monster that was chained up and wearing a muzzle.
"Danielle!"
She cringed at her mother angrily calling her name. They hadn't talked after yesterday's incident and she surely wouldn't be pleased to hear that she had gotten herself into even more trouble.